Improvement in reversible latches



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Letters Patent No. 85,497, dated December- 29, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVEERSIBLE LATCHES. -*OPO* To all whom 'it may conce/rn.-

Be it known that I, ELI WHITNEY, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven, and State of Connectiout, have invented a new Improvement in Reversible Latches; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a perspective view;v

Figure 2, an lnterior view, showing the construction' of the latch; and, in

Figure 3, the same View, to illustrate its operation.

This invention relates to an improvement in knoblatches, whereby the latch is made reversible, so that Athe same latch may be used upon a door which swings either to the right or left; and

The invention consists in pivoting the latch-bolt, and arranging its connection with the horse-shoe, so that the latch-bolt can be forced into the case, and in that position reversed or set to the right or left, and so that, when forced from the latch-case, it will be retained in the position in -which it is set whilewithin the case.

In order to the clear understanding of my invention,

I will fully describe the same as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

A is the case, within which'the latch-,bolt B and lockbolt C, with their operative mechanism, are placed, the latch-bolt to be operated by knobs, the spindle of which passes through the follower D in the usual manner.

E is-rhehorse shoe, to which the spindle F of the bolt B is pivoted at a, as denoted in lig. 3, so that the blplt may be turned freely on its bearing in the horses oe.

The spindle is formed with two at surfaces on the part F', and, between the part F and the latch-bolt, an annular'groove, l, is formed, so that, when the latchbolt is pressed into the position seen in iig. 3,-the said annular groove will come into position between the two lugs f f, so that the bolt may be freely turned, and the space between the lugs correspond to the fiattened or square part F of the bolt-spindle, so that, when the bolt is thrown forward, as in ig. 2, the opposite surfaces of the part F will bear between the lugs fj, and prevent the turning 'of the latch-bolt.

iAspiral spring, asdenoted in fig. 2, is arranged on the latch-bolt spindle, between thev lugs f f andthe head of the bolt, the tendency of which spring is to force the bolt forward, as seen in g. 2.

. Therefore, when the bolt is set in one position, and

it is desirable to reverse the boltfpress the bolt into the case, as denoted in iig. 3, until the groove d on the spindle lies between the two lugs, and the bolt-head has passed into the case, so as to be clearlfrom the opening through the face-plate; then the latch-bolt may be turned over, and set to either position for a right or left hand; then, freed from the power 'which pressed it inward, the latch-bolt will, by the reaction of the spring, be forced out, as in g. 2.

As a convenient means for thus turning the bolt, I form a small square hole, h, in the end of the latchbolt, so that, by inserting a common nail or other square, pointed instrument into the hole It, the latchbolt maybe easily pressed into the case, and turned; or a nickmay be formed in the head of the latch-bolt, so that a screw-driver or similar instrument maybe inserted therein, to aid in the reversion of the bolt.

To prevent the latch-bolt from being thus forced into the case when the lock is secured to the door, I

arrange one of the screws L, which secures the look to the door, so that it will pass through the case in the rear of the horse-shoe, so that the horse-shoe, when it is forced in, will strike the said screw, as denoted in red, g. 2, and prevent the latch-bolt from so far entering the case as to come into position where it may be reversed.

This arrangementis applicable to Janus-faced or boxlocks, but for these, as well as for mortise-locks, other devices may be employed to' prevent the forcing in of the latch-bolt when upon the door.

This invention, though here represented as applied to Janus-faced or box-locks, is equally applicable to locks of other construction. v

-Having fully described my invention,

What I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The arrangement of the latch-bolt, B in combination with the horse-shoe E, so that the latch-holt must be forced within the case, so as to be reversed, substantially as set forth. v

2. In a latch-bolt pivoted to the horse-shoe, so as be reversed, forming the Hattened or square portion Ff in combination with`the annular' groove d and lugs fj:

so that the latch-boltmaybe reversed while within the v case, and secured by the said lugs when in any other position.

' ,e ELI WHITNEY. Witnesses:

J. H. SHUMWAY, MICHAL' RYAN. 

